The invention relates to an audio amplifier arrangement having an audio signal input for receiving an audio signal, comprising a first amplifier stage for influencing the signal strength of the received audio signal for at least part of the frequency spectrum of the audio signal, an output amplifier stage for amplifying the signal influenced by the first amplifier stage, the output amplifier stage comprising detection means for detecting an overload of the output amplifier stage, and the audio amplifier arrangement comprising a control means for adjusting the influence of the first amplifier stage on the received audio signal in response to a signal from the detection means in the case where the degree of overload indicated by the signal from the detection means exceeds a limit laid down by a certain limit criterion in order to reduce the signal strength of the influenced audio signal.
An arrangement of said type is known, for example, from Laboratory note A-106 "Digital controlled stereo audioprocessor TDA730X manual" SGS-THOMSON; November 1989. In prior-art arrangement the output amplifier stage produces a detection pulse with each overload. In reaction to each detection pulse the adjustment (reduction) of the gain factor of the first amplifier stage is enhanced by a step of 2 dB. In this manner there is avoided the distortion which occurs on reproduction of the sound represented by the audio signal. If for a certain period of time thereafter no detection pulses are produced any longer, the adjustment is cancelled in steps.
The arrangement has the drawback that in the case where the user sets the volume to such a high level that the control means intervene by reducing the gain factor, a change of the volume setting by the user has hardly perceivable consequences. To the listener it seems as if the arrangement does not react to a change of the volume setting.